Darkness Read online

  “I’m not playing.”

  He lowered his head while staring at her face. She wished she could see his beautiful eyes better in the dim night. The scent of his masculine cologne, or whatever it was that smelled so good, teased her nose. The urge to get closer became strong.

  “You should tell me no while you can.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  He drew in a ragged breath, his chest invading her space and pressing against her breasts. “I’ll take you. Do you understand?”

  “Your place or mine? Let’s go.”

  He glanced around and his hold on her loosened. “Yours. The patrols will be by here soon.” He held her gaze. “Or I’d take you where you stand.”

  Sexy. She’d totally do him on the grass but wasn’t about to admit that. “Let’s go.”

  He stepped back and his hands dropped away. “I come with conditions, Kat.”

  “What are they?”

  He hesitated. “You do what I say when it comes to sex.”

  “You’re one of those.” She felt a little disappointed. “I’m not the Master-and-slave type. Sorry but I won’t drop to my knees on command to blow you or enjoy being smacked.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I’m going to tie your hands to the headboard so you can’t touch me. Will you agree to that?”

  “Why?”

  He hesitated. “Remember when I had you in interrogation? I would have lost control of the situation if you’d had your hands free. That’s part of the terms. There will be no hitting involved but I’m not one of your humans. I just want to fuck you while I’m in control of it. It’s safer for both of us that way. Don’t ever forget what I said to you about an out-of-control male.”

  Everything they’d shared inside that interrogation room flashed through her mind. “You want to repeat what happened between us before but this time you plan to finish what you start?”

  “Yes. That’s half of my terms.”

  “What’s the other half?”

  He lowered his head and stared into her eyes. “Don’t lie to me this time. Everything that comes out of your mouth will be the truth when I have you naked or don’t say anything at all.”

  His intense stare reminded her of why she was really there. That really dampened her mood. “Why would you want to take me to bed if you think I’m going to lie to you? That’s what you’re implying.”

  “This is just about sex. Trust is earned but we’re strangers. I’m making that a term, Kat. No lies between us when we’re naked. Lie to me any other time and I won’t take it personally. You never want me to feel betrayed by you. Do you understand? It would be dangerous.”

  She did and that scared her. He had made it clear that he suspected she was at Homeland for other reasons than to teach her classes. It was there between them, larger than life.

  “I understand and accept the terms.”

  “Also, this stays between you and me only. No one is to know what happens between us sexually. Do you agree?”

  She wanted him. “Yes.”

  It was a bargain she hoped she wouldn’t regret. He’d given her the option of not talking at all if something he asked her crossed a line where she’d have to lie. She appreciated that but silence would be as telling as just blurting out the truth. It was stupid to follow him back to her cottage but she wanted him enough to risk it. Even if it meant putting her career on the line.

  Chapter Seven

  “Go inside and wash off that perfume,” Darkness ordered the moment they entered her back yard.

  “I forgot what you said about it bothering your nose. Do you want to join me in the shower?” She glanced at his hands and face. “You’ve got blood on you still.”

  “I’ll wash up next door and return in about fifteen minutes. Don’t bother putting anything on. Just a towel. Leave the slider unlocked.”

  He expected her to protest. She was a strong-willed female but she just nodded curtly. “Okay. See you in fifteen.”

  He hurried next door, snatched up his cell phone and dialed. It rang while he opened the laptop on his bed. Security answered.

  “Hi, Darkness. You ready to take the feed over again?”

  “Yes.” He punched commands into the keyboard. “Thanks.” He disconnected the feed to Security.

  The screen showed that Kat paced in the bedroom. She didn’t seem too eager to take a shower and he wondered if she’d changed her mind. Darkness locked down the feed so no one else could view the cameras that watched her every move. He’d rather be safe than sorry. He rose and entered the bathroom, tearing off his clothing.

  When the blood washed off he saw that the fight with Fury had left him bruised. There were some minor cuts on his hands. He put on a pair of silky sleeping pants, entered the bedroom and he sat on the bed. Kat wasn’t on screen. He changed the location of the feed until he found her in the bathroom.

  She had washed her hair and body and had a towel around her middle. Her hand lifted and she wiped steam off the mirror to peer at her reflection. Her lips moved and he activated the sound. Did she have some type of listening device they hadn’t found to talk to whoever she worked for? It infuriated him since he’d purposely not invaded her privacy in that one room until then.

  “Fine,” she whispered. “You want him. He wants you. What’s the worst that could happen?” She straightened and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. “I’ll regret this if I chicken out.” Her eyes opened and she leaned forward again, taking in her reflection. “I’m not a chicken. It’s going to be fine. He won’t hurt me.”

  He studied her ears, looking for listening devices but saw none. Who is she talking to? He couldn’t hear anyone else.

  “Okay, enough of the pep talk before he shows up and hears me talking to myself.”

  He relaxed. She turned away from the mirror and exited the bathroom, flipping off the light as she went. He switched the feed. She entered the bedroom and stared at the bed. The vulnerable look on her face made him regretful. He had asked her to trust him when he wasn’t willing to do the same. No female would ever be allowed to tie him to a bed. He shuddered at the thought.

  He closed the laptop and rose. A quick trip to the bathroom gained him what he wanted and then he left through the backdoor, quickly scanning the area to make sure no one saw him cross to her yard. It was clear of patrols so he entered her home through the slider, closing and locking it behind him. He even closed the curtain over the glass.

  Kat turned when he entered her bedroom. The expression on her face smoothed out and she attempted to hide her fear. The slight tremble of her hands as they reached up to grip her towel gave away her true emotions. She noticed his hand holding the box of condoms. Her eyebrows arched.

  “What are those for?”

  “Us.”

  She licked her lips. “I don’t have any diseases and everything I’ve ever read stated you’re immune to sexually transmitted diseases.” She held his gaze. “Was that bullshit?”

  “Do you want every Species in your class tomorrow to know I fucked you? They would unless I pull out. That’s not my preference. Our sense of smell is as good as I said it was. You’d have to soak in a bath for a long time to make certain every drop of me was washed away. Are you willing to risk that or would you rather take precautions?” He glanced at the box then her. “As I said, I want this kept just between us.”

  She took a deep breath. “I understand.”

  He moved to the wall shelves, removing a roll of condoms as he went and placed the box in front of the hidden camera. It would just show the color of the box and not allow anyone to see what happened in the bedroom. He couldn’t be sure that Fury wouldn’t override his secure access and watch Kat if he believed Darkness might be a danger to her. He also used his thumb to crush the tiny audio transmitter located on the same shelf. Security feeds to this room would now be blind and deaf to everything they did.

  He faced her and shoved the roll of condoms in his front pocket. “I’m going to borrow y
our pantyhose.”

  “How do you know I own any?”

  “I searched your suitcase before it was delivered. How are you doing without your cigarettes?”

  “That so wasn’t cool.”

  He didn’t feel regret. “They stink. Where are the pantyhose?”

  “Top drawer, to your left.”

  He turned, found them. He tested their strength and was happy with the results. He approached the headboard. “Drop the towel and get on the bed.”

  She swallowed hard but allowed the towel to fall to the floor. He could see her wariness and kept his gaze locked with hers so she didn’t feel uncomfortable being completely naked before him. He only glanced down her body when she lay flat on her back in the center of the bed, raising her arms upward until her fingertips curled around the wooden slats of the headboard. She gripped them a bit tightly, again showing her bravado was strained.

  “Easy.” He sat on the edge of the bed, giving her his back to help put her at ease. “I won’t hurt you. You’ll have a little movement with the way I attach your hands to the headboard.”

  “I’d feel a little better if I wasn’t actually tied down. You could just trust me to keep hold of the headboard.”

  It was tempting but he shook his head. “Trust is earned, Kat. We’ve been over this. I need to be in control.”

  “Right.” She closed her eyes. “I’m supposed to trust you but you don’t trust me.”

  He wasn’t being fair. “I see your point but these are my terms.”

  “Fine. Do it.”

  She had delicate wrists. He tied the pantyhose around them and knotted the silky material so it wouldn’t tighten if she struggled. He kept her arms close together and secured them to the same bar. The headboard was solidly made and she wouldn’t be strong enough to break free. He rose and reached for the waistband of his pajama bottoms. Kat opened her eyes and stared at him. He saw a little fear in her gaze. It made him pause.

  “You’ll enjoy this.” He decided to wait until later to strip out of the pants. She was already leery and he’d heard males complain that some human females were intimidated by the sizes of their dicks. The last thing he wanted was for Kat to change her mind. “Relax.”

  “Easier said than done,” she muttered. She cleared her throat and swallowed. “Okay. What next, Mr. Control?”

  He liked her spirit. She was a bit frightened but refused to give in to it. He rounded the bed, studying her. She was beautiful. Her body was fit but not overly muscled. Her frame was much smaller than a Species female with more fragile bones. Her pale skin would probably bruise easily if he didn’t touch her with care. He used his knee to brace his weight on the bed and leaned forward.

  “Spread your thighs.”

  “Just like that, huh?” The soft growl was a warning. “Okay. That’s kind of sexy.”

  He smiled. “You think so?”

  “Yeah. I like it when your voice deepens too.”

  “Give me a few minutes and you might hear me snarl. You don’t scare easily, do you?”

  “It depends on whether you’re angry or not.”

  He allowed her to see some emotion on his face. It was hunger. He wanted her bad. “I’m going to make sounds because I’m Species. Are you prepared for that?”

  He wanted to groan when she wet her lips with her pink tongue. She ran her upper teeth over her bottom lip next. “Bring it on but just remember I’m not into pain.”

  “It’s going to be all pleasure. Spread your thighs wider and bend them up. Give me access to you.”

  She only hesitated for a second before following his orders. She looked appealing as hell with her pussy exposed and in that position. He stretched out on his stomach as he came down on the bed and slid his arms next to her hips, bent them at the elbow and wrapped his hands around the tops of her legs. It pinned her open, leaving his face inches away from the sweet sight of bare, pink skin. She had no hair there.

  “No landing strip?” His voice came out a bit husky but he didn’t try to tone it down. She’d said she found that appealing. Breathing her in made his dick hard. She wasn’t turned-on yet but that would change soon.

  “I occasionally decide to torture myself by getting waxed.”

  He lifted his chin and stared up at her. One eyebrow arched in question.

  “It hurts like a son of a bitch. I usually have it done right before I go on vacation during the summer.”

  “You’re not on vacation.”

  “It depends on who you ask. I am according to me.”

  That sparked curiosity but he pushed it back. His throbbing dick didn’t want to interrogate her at that moment. He dipped his head, more interested in her sex than conversation. He’d missed studying a female…and the taste of one. She was beautiful all over. He wet his lips and opened his mouth, aware of his fangs. He wondered if Kat remembered them. He’d remind her soon.

  The tightening of his chest and a tingling in his throat warned him to mute his reaction to her. He wasn’t about to purr. It might alarm her before she was too distracted to notice. He fought the urge and won.

  “Relax,” he ordered, feeling her legs tense in his hold.

  “I’m trying. It’s been awhile since I had someone up close and personal down there who wasn’t wearing a doctor’s coat. That would have been my last checkup a few months ago.”

  That spiked his interest. “How long has it been since you had sex?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “You can’t tell me the truth about that?”

  “Almost a year. I keep busy.”

  He ran the tip of his tongue over the pink, fleshy bundle of nerves. She sucked in a sharp breath and he repeated the process, going at her slowly and tenderly. He needed to keep in control or they both would be in trouble. It had been years since he’d allowed himself the pleasure of sex. He pushed those thoughts back, not wanting the past to ruin the present.

  Her legs tensed in his hold and he gripped her more firmly. Her scent began to change as he used the tip of his tongue to play with her sex. The sweet smell of desire and arousal was a stimulating drug to him. Kat tried to wiggle in his hold and her soft moans increased. The headboard creaked but he didn’t look up, certain she couldn’t break free even if she struggled.

  “Oh god,” she whispered. “I’m not going to last.”

  He applied more pressure. He wanted to get inside her too bad to wait long. He had to adjust his hips to shift weight off his swollen dick. He couldn’t get any harder than he already was. He growled, using vibration to increase her pleasure as he pressed his open mouth tighter against her clit.

  She jerked in his hold and cried out his name. He sucked on the small bud again then gently released her and lifted his head enough to view her pussy. She was soaked now, wet and ready to take him. He lifted his chin and stared up her body. Kat’s head was thrown back, her mouth open. Her muscles started to relax, including her legs, still pinned by him. He let her go and sat up.

  Kat opened her eyes, her breath coming in rapid pants. “Sorry.”

  He dug a hand in his pocket and removed the roll of condoms. “For what?”

  “I came pretty fast. Should I be embarrassed?” She smiled though, a teasing look in her eyes. “Or are you proud that you’re that good at it?”

  “This time doesn’t count.”

  That subdued her humor. “No? I disagree.”

  “This is just a warm-up. I need you really wet.” He straightened to his knees, used his thumbs to hook his pajama bottoms and shoved them down. He watched her face as he revealed his dick. Her expression blanked. It took her a few seconds to react. Her lips parted and he could see surprise.

  “I’ll fit.” He tore off one of the condoms from the roll and tossed the rest of them up near the top of the bed. She didn’t seem so certain or fearless anymore. It amused him. “I’ll go slow. You’re tough. I promised not to hurt you.”

  “I don’t think that’s an option. You’re size-proportioned, that’s for s
ure. I guess those big feet of yours should have been a clue. Do you carry a permit for that?”

  He laughed, understanding the joke. “I thought about flipping you over first and not allowing you to see me.” He looked down and carefully rolled on the condom. He had a flashback of the past but immediately looked at Kat’s face. She was there, not the other female who’d always made him use condoms. He focused on Kat’s still-spread legs. She’d put her feet down on the bed but kept open for him. “I’ll be gentle.”

  “You’d better be.” She bit her lower lip, studying his cock.

  He had to make a decision and chose to take her facing away from him. It would put less weight on her small frame and he could control his entry better. He reached down and gripped her calves, lifted them and flipped her over before she could protest. He released her legs.

  “Get on your knees.” He helped by getting between her legs and shoving them apart to make room. His hands carefully slid under her hips and lifted.

  Kat gasped. “You could have just told me to get on my stomach first.”

  He chuckled again, amused. “I thought I did. I said I wanted to let you see me first though. You did.”

  She crawled a little closer to the headboard and gripped it with her hands. The pantyhose allowed her that much movement but kept her wrists inches apart. She looked over her shoulder. Uncertainty flashed across her face for a second. He caught the emotion.

  “Easy, sweetheart. I’m going to be careful.”

  He inched closer and had to put his legs on the outside of hers. She was shorter and he needed to spread his legs wider to put their hips at the same level. She faced forward and stiffened, her shoulders tightening as she appeared to get a death grip on the headboard. It was clear she expected rough treatment but he was about to disappoint her.

  He bent over her until his chest rested lightly against her spine. He fisted the top of the headboard beside one of her hands. It was a reminder of their size difference. He wanted to get inside her but he used his other hand to reach between her parted thighs and play with her clit with his fingertip.

  She was soaked and jerked under him, probably still a little sensitive. He gentled his touch, rubbing slow circles. Her posture relaxed and she lowered her head to rest against her outstretched arms. Her ass tilted upward and drew his attention. She had a nice one and it made his dick twitch. The throbbing sensation of having all that blood pooled there wasn’t painless but he’d given Kat his word. It had been a long time and he could wait a little longer to make sure she was as into wanting him inside her as he wanted to be.